After the Fall
by Hunnybunny12
Summary: Life as we know it may have ended, but the time of Maximum Ride has just begun. Dylan is coming back with a vengeance and he's not backing down until he gets what he wants, and what he thinks he deserves. Has Nevermore spoilers with slight AU. Rating may change, so stay tuned.
1. Chapter 1

Dylan.

The raging sea below crashes against the cliff, howling and roaring like a cornered animal. The foaming waves and biting ocean spray fight the earth with every coming tide, relentlessly.

But the earth stands strong against the torrents clamoring below, always knowing that its a constant battle for existence. She stands strong even when everything falls apart around her.

The earth or the sea? It's a choice believe it or not.

It's this twisted, defiled force that pulls us together. The very same force that fates the seas to crash upon the land: it's hard to pull away. It's hard to forget.

It is hard when the sea is forced always to come back to the land and crash against its resilient shores, when the earth so callously pushes the seas away again. Fated by gravity and the planets, the sea comes crawling back just as strong as before, knowing what's waiting for him. The sea begs, pleads, and cries, drowning in his endless tears. I guess that's why the water is salty.

The earth or the sea?

But why?

I've asked myself that question so many times, tortured myself over it even, yet I still can't even answer that age old question. _Why?_ Why would I be created only to be subjugated to complete hell: knowing that the only thing tying me to this god forsaken rock is her. I want to scream at her, I want to drop to my knees and plead: _Who do I have after you go? Who looks out for me? I don't want to love you!_

She would be silent, not knowing how to respond to such a blatant confession of hatred, or was it love? Then I would get to my feet and stare her down, trying to see something behind those fearless eyes and say: _That's right, because I. Have. No one after you._

So useless. _So pointless _to love wholeheartedly a woman that loves another, to always come up second best. What more can I give her? All I have been is immovable as the earth, when _he_ is as unpredictable as the tides.

The earth or the sea?

Just like the sea is forced to crash upon the shore every waking tide, I have to love her. It's this same sick, demented story that is held on replay: I love you, I hate you, I love you. If only it was easy to hate her. I wish I could hate her. But no matter how many times I wish and wish and wish, I just can't. _I can't. _

The icy wind stings my face, or is it the tears? I sit dangerously close to the cliff's edge, my legs dangling off the edge as if to taunt the Fates. But it's the only cliff on this island where I can't see _them_. Why can't I just forget her? It's so unfair. After everything went to shit, it's like she completely forgot about me.

She. Forgot. Me.

They all forgot about me. Even him. Oh..._ I want to kill him_. I can see his face through the fury in my eyes, smiling at her, kissing her, holding her. If I had the chance to really let him know how I feel, I'd want to beat him to an unrecognizable pulp. But I know better than that now, so instead I'd settle with a few words equally as threatening:

You took away my _everything._

And now, I'm going to take it all back, sevenfold.


	2. Chapter 2

AN

I really hate how everyone hates Dylan! I mean I loved the guy, and all he wanted was to make Max happy! If Patterson wanted more people to hate Dylan then he should have made him more evil :/ but come on, he's such a sweet dude under that tough exterior! Idk... maybe its just me.

So tell me what you guys think so far! I originally posted a few chapters of this fanfic on another website but I wanted to continue it on FFnet and fix a couple things anyway. Please fav and review! :) peace out!

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Max

It's morning when the rain finally stops. The silence is so sudden, seemingly thunderous, that it actually wakes me up. That's all that seems to happen around here anymore. I really, _really_ hate the weather. There's also the occasional tremor but it only lasts for a few seconds, its victims being the helpless plates, cups, and other small breakable whatnots. It's always cold and rainy and windy, the storms are the scariest. I mean, I know it's the end of the world and all but for the love of all things holy can their be more sunlight? Sometimes I feel like we'll be washed off this rock but we never are.

And we never will be but the fear is still there.

Even though we live in the center of the island ( aka the Middle Ring which is supposedly the safest part of the island) I am still afraid. It's the same fear that drives the Flock and Islanders to the caves sometimes when the storms get really bad. During the storms, when we're all hunkered down in the caves listening to the howling and moaning wind, I see a certain face missing among us. I can't help but worry for him. By him, I mean Dylan the Wonder Boy. _ Is he trying to get himself killed?_ Some part of me wishes that some wave will just come out of nowhere and sweep Dylan away into the vast ocean, Caribbean blue eyes lost in the Caribbean blue waters. But another part cries and sobs, "No, no, no!"

I didn't think I would still feel attached to him after I chose Fang, I didn't want to feel attached but that part of me still craves the feel of Dylan's lips on mine, his arms wrapped around me….

He had this softness, a softness that Fang is missing. The thing with Dylan was that he was a monster, hell bent on destruction, but then he would have this strange tenderness for me. A complete bipolar freak if you ask me, but he was edgy, salty but sweet, and I miss that sometimes.

Other times when I fly over the island, making sure there aren't any unwanted visitors, I see him sitting the edge of a cliff with jagged rocks below. Sometimes he teeters right on the edge but catches himself in time before he tumbles to his murky death. It scares me that he isn't afraid of death. I hate to say it, but I worry for him. But every time I want to feel sorry for him or worry I remember how the jackass went and took every chance he had to remind Fang and I of why he exists in the first place, nearly killed Fang in the process too.

Because in his sick, twisted mind I still belonged to him.

That tiny corner in my heart flutters and murmurs lightly, "Yes, I'm yours, always…" but saner thoughts prevail, leaving me torn. I chose Fang, I spent (what I thought were) my final moments with Fang, he told me he loved me. But the Devil whispers to me, and he always talks about Dylan, always loves Dylan, always _wants_ Dylan.

_But Dylan saved you from drowning…_that Devil in the corner of my heart murmurs

_Dylan saved everybody in the caves…._

_Dylan put you first, always…._

_Dylan said he loved you first…._

"Shut up." I order under my breath. That small piece of me cowers back into its corner of my heart, waiting to betray me.

Wait, I'm getting sidetracked. Where was I? Oh right, right:

It's morning and I don't want to open my eyes because I know I'll have to deal with someone or something that I'm really just not in the mood for. Someone is already spooned against my body, their arm around my waist like a vice. But it's not just someone, its Fang. _My_ Fang.

He smells like soap, not the old-lady kind but the kind that smells distinctly of 'boy'. But don't worry, it's a good smell. His touch is warm and it encases me in a cocoon of his wings that smell like the wind. Its smells kind of like dirt but reminds me of how Angel smelled after playing outside. Ya know, in the world before. No one really goes outside anymore, too dangerous. But right now I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy wrapped in a smell that can only be described as childhood. If I didn't know, I would think we were asleep on a fluffy summer cloud, the wind a light breeze around us, and there was nothing else but his arms around me. But I'm not stupid, or cheesy for that matter. Oh god, remind me not to go all uber-girly-fantasy next time. Fang's light sleeping breaths tickle the hairs on the back of my neck. It's the small moments like these I hold on to.

"WAKE UP!"

I shriek and flail my arms, ready to rip whatever just burst my ear drums limb from limb. Fang and jerk out of bed, sheets go flying, and we try our best to get into a strong fighting stance….that is before we smell _it_. By it, I mean Gazzy. Who else? Nothing better to get me out of bed than an ear-splitting scream in the ear and a nose-hair-burning fart.

"Oh god! What the hell Gazzy?" I cover my nose to avoid breathing in the toxic rotten-egg-rotting-corpse smell. I hear the door to my room slam shut, our assailant fleeing the scene in a puff of greenish smoke.

"Jeez keep your noxious butt-gas to yourself!" Fang adds, pinching his nose shut with his eyes watering slightly.

"Don't breath through your mouth, you'll taste it!" I hear Gazzy's muffled yell through the door.

"I believe him." Fang gags, pulling on a sweatshirt. Like I said, I enjoy the peaceful moments before….this.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N

I know some viewers may like Fax more than Mylan but if that the case, I mean I don't want to be rude but if you don't like it, then don't read it! LOL I appreciate input, don't get me wrong but I like Mylan more than Fax, and maybe you'll come to like it better too! Thank you for all the viewers and please review! Thanks so much!

* * *

Max.

We always have meetings once a week in the main tree house, which looks like a hotel lobby. It's a long rectangular room with a vaulted ceiling. The skylights allow the drabby blue light to pour through and bath everything in a depressing glaze of sad blue on the white walls and white linoleum floors. The Flock sits at a the horse-shoe business table in the center of the grand hall-like room. I sit at the head with Fang at my right and Angel at my left. Ever since everything went to shit, everyone with wings are considered royalty among the mutant people, so we were made the leaders of the island. I don't feel too accomplished though because I'd compare it to being the leader of the island of misfit toys, it's more of a dunce-hat than a crown.

"There are more bodies washing to shore in the Southern Sector." Gorge says, his thick voice seeming to echo in the grand hall. Gorge is a tall, portly man who represents the Southern Sector of our island. He doesn't really have a special ability except for the fact he looks like a bunch of little pebbles mashed into the shape of an overweight man.

"Same for the Northern Sector, if we don't clean them up soon they'll start rotting and attract predators." Mia jumps in, a reptilian-like woman with a thick Chinese accent. Another reptilian humanoid steps next to her and murmurs in her ear, Mia nods. "We suggest we put together clean-up crews from the sectors, including the Middle Ring to help clean up the bodies." She finishes and sits, her pink tongue 'tithering' out of her needle-like teeth infested mouth. Fang stays quiet, he doesn't really contribute to the meetings we have. I guess I wouldn't mind so much if he didn't argue with everything we suggest.

"She's right, and the bodies may bring diseases. The must be burned." Angel announces. I nod and both representatives are about to bow when…

"Why not leave them?" Fang asks. We all kinda just stare at him for a second, he glances around noticing his audience. "Those bodies may be infected already with the Plague disease, it could mutate its strain to be compatible with us. It's too risky."

"But if we leave them they could damage our water supply." Angel retorts, her honey-sweet voice ringing in the hall.

"Not to mention the stink." I add, we all nod on that.

"But-" he's about to add when I cut in.

"All in favor of cleanup crews?" I announce, raising my hand. I can feel Fang's death stare on me. Both representative, Angel and I raise our hands. Fang sighs and raises his hand, noticing the popular vote was against him.

"It's decided: There will be cleanup crew from each sector including the middle ring, precautions to avoid Plague diseases will be taken." Angel says, the representative nod and bow, then go back to their respective parties.

"Thank you all for coming!" I add. I jump up from my swivel chair and stretch my wings, Fang and Angel are already at the outdoor platform ready to fly back to our tree houses. I feel kind of bad for voting against Fang when really it he was just concerned but it really ticks me off when he thinks he doesn't hav to talk through the whole meeting and the second he doesn't agree with something….

"Max honey?" My mom asks. I swivel around to see my mom leaned against the door to the platform. As soon as our eyes meet she smiles and leans in and gives me a hug. "How was the meeting?"

"Eh, okay I guess. We have to make cleanup crews to burn all the dead bodies on the coasts." I say with a shiver. "Gross."

"I need you to do something for me." Dr. Martinez cuts in, her eyes grave.

"I have a feeling I'm not gonna like it." I grumble back.

"Well…" she starts

"Lay it on me mom, I think I can handle whatever it is you want me to do. I did survive the apocalypse and all I think…" I stop when I notice the severity in her look, her whole face and body goes rigid.

"I need you to go make sure Dylan is okay." She murmurs, she squints knowing what's coming.

"WHAT?" I almost shriek. Angel and Fang turn around, I sigh and wave them away. Fang shrugs and takes off, Angel lingers for a second and I nod to her.

_Everything okay?_

_Yea, peachy. _

She frowns and takes off after Fang. I turn back to mom.

"Why?" I hiss, clenching my fists.

"You're the only one he'll listen to.."

"NO I mean why go ask him if he's okay, what's so important about him?" I ask through grit teeth. I can't believe she's making me go ask that moron of a bird if he's _okay. _

"Maximum Ride," Martinez replies, her voice stern. Oh boy, here we go…, "I don't care if you don't like him, I don't care that you hate him. He's a member of your species and last time I checked there aren't that many of you."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying he's not eating, he's not sleeping, he's dangling himself off cliffs half the time and the other half flying off and leaving for weeks at a time! I'm worried!" she snaps back. I sigh and put my palm to my face.

"Fine. But only because you're my mom." I grumble.

"Thank you sweetheart. It means a lot to me." She says, wrapping me in another hug.

"Yeah, yeah." I mumble, going to the platform. I look back and see mom going and talking to another mutant, going along her regular business. There's a huge crack of thunder that draws my gaze to the sky. The sky is dyed a dark grey, a flash a lightning brightening the island.

I really hate flying in the rain.

* * *

sorry this was a really short chapter but I need a little more build up for the next chapter ;) stay tuned.


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